Improved from my last version. I think I'm going to do a tarot-like series.

Oh my GOD. I finally got around to watching the last two episodes on On Demand tonight, and... oh my GOD. I'm not going to spoil anything in case you haven't seen the finale (or even watch the show), but in the last few minutes I realized what a profound emotional impact a television show can have on a person. I blubbered. Hard. I kept a bit back, but Jesus. I would have been hysterical if I had let it all out.

That's going to stay with me forever. Jesus. Oh, and am I a blubbery masochist for wanting to go right back and watch the last ten minutes again? So beautiful. My brain is crying.

I'm sure my neighbors are frightened. Our building is made of paper mache. Just want until I get a mic with an echo pedal. I think I want a vocoder, too. Maybe then I can stop singing with a chalice. It's all about visualization, people.

Yay. Totally random idea - as usual I'm going on intuition. It works, I think. It's five til five. Time to collapse.

My latest creation. I am really fond of it. It's origin lies in one of my newest gigs, which should be all wrapped up by Monday or Tuesday (thank GOD because I have more than a few and I need DOUGH). Basically I just tinkered around with the image for a personal piece. The original doesn't have all the shimmery colors, and the three ducks are actually just one - in three transitions, for a quasi-animated effect. It's one of 20 images I'm doing for a DVD called Nature Babe (intended for little tykes). The production company is based in Hollywood. How cool am I? They are really pleased with my work. I have a fondness for the simple cutesy stuff. I don't know... I want to get back into spending like 8 hours on portraits, but I'm satisfied with this for now. Not to mention I'm still working on a character design extravaganza for my client Darren (who actually turned his idea into a real LLC).

Maybe it was the intoxicants I partook of last night, but I feel as if I don't want to do anything other than relax and indulge again tonight - not necessarily in intoxicants, but maybe just in some bad tv or more youtube finds. This evening I've been watching videos of Genesis P. Orridge (found of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV), and the man is really inspiring! And he used to be a total babe when he was younger and didn't have any surgeries. Why do I always have the hots for the Pisces guys, or water signs in general? I've been inspired by this man's words.

I had to stop my mind from nagging at me. Why? I could be doing work, and here I am, slagging off and watching videos on youtube. And food is on it's way from the local pizza shop. But so fucking what? It's the weekend. Why am I nagging myself? I accomplished something today. And it's cute. See? That is success. It's as simple as that. If you are being hard on yourself, just try to look at it this way. Try to do something creative or constructive every day - whether it be drawing a smiley face, cleaning one of your rooms, or just talking to someone you love. Don't be so hard on yourself. I don't know why I'm feeling so inspirational right now. I think it rubs off, yes? After unloading this, I feel incredibly light and happy.

I finally brought her out from a sketch and to a larger scale. I'll be taking this somewhere colorful soon.

Oh, and for comedy:



Cardinal Clown is my musical moniker... (http://www.myspace.com/joeyburgers - NEW MUSIC UP, BTW) I would very much like to get my music "out there" for more people to hear. Next year I am going to attempt this. Not to sound full of myself or anything, but I can easily see myself getting signed to a label like Warp. I dunno... I know my music has an emotional impact that sets me apart from your average Reason-meddler. I still use Reason 2.5 which is sorta outdated (There is a version 3.0 out), but whatever. I don't even use any special fills or add-ons. A lot of people are just into "beats" and like, how up-to-date technologically they sound. This is lame for a number of reasons. It's musically shallow, for one - which is my main problem with it. A lot of the "reason community" is like this. But who cares about them? I do plan on making tracks for vocals sometime. I just can't invest a lot into it at the moment. I don't like wasting my good voice. I just can't use it here, with roommates. It'll be easier once I get my own place. Being a freelancer is nice but I just realized that I have to make myself busy as much as possible. A few hours here and a few hours there just won't cut it. Hopefully I can stick to a regimen of at least 6 hours per day. Anyway.... Katamari needs some playing since I've been away from home for a couple of days. I just bought a PS2 after selling mine last year... I bought it back with only a $20 difference (not including an additional controller). Without my 360 (since it busted in such a short time), I have had this video game void, and my ROMS just won't cut it lately.

Unfortunately, her new video looks like a Garner Fructis commercial. The song isn't too strong, either. I have yet to listen to the album.


The album (Mantaray) was released in September.... god am I behind. Anyway, enjoy.

I'm not one to fag out, but I just got back from seeing Annie Lennox (Lisner Auditorium in DC) and good beJESUS, she is fabdiddlyicious. It may sound nuts but I paid $133 just to go. Worth every penny, I tell ya. She performed about 16 songs - the opening was "No More I Love Yous" and the closer was "Why" - the show was a "best of" for her whole career (Eurythmics included), although she didn't play any songs from Savage or Peace. Oh well... Savage is the best Eurythmics album IMO, but a total commercial flop - so I can see why she avoided doing any songs from it ("You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart" should have been played, though!). An interesting turn was when the band backed off and brought a piano out for Annie to serenade the audience with (including kickass lighting effects and imagery on the curtains as she played). She did "Here Comes The Rain Again", "A Thousand Beautiful Things" and "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves" - the final bit turning into an audience sing-along. I sang it loud and proud, being a strong sister and all. I had no idea that i would be sitting in THE SECOND FUCKING ROW until I got there. See, ticketmaster had this show listed as "sold out" for a while and I just learned three days ago that they were selling more tickets all of a sudden. I hopped on the ticketwagon in no time - and in doing so, plunged myself into a horrible black hole of finance. WELL worth it.

I've heard Annie's nerves getting the best of her in live performances I've watched on youtube or on television in the past... but she was a total force to be reckoned with tonight. She soul-sang the fuck out of her set, and her voice was in top form. There's really not a way for me to truly express how wonderful I thought the whole show was. It's beyond words, really. I can say that it was art. Super theatrical, totally diva-licious, nothing else I can really say.


The opening musician, Carina Round, was unbelievable. I seriously urge you to look around and check her out. Not sure if she's signed to any labels or anything. But good god. Her voice is nothing short of angelic - in fact, her range was startling in it's freakishness. We're talking about four octaves. REAL use of the voice (the nose, facial contortions, gutteral stylings, etc). She wasn't limiting herself. She was tapping into something transcendent. And all this fire comes in such a tiny, petite package. She was quite gorgeous - a pale, thin waif with luscious black hair and a crimson-lipped face from another era. She was totally channeling PJ Harvey, although not quite as "manly". She's what vocal freaks like me thrive on. Thank god there are artists like this. Incredible night.

So I'm currently in Chicago (Boys Town) on Belmont street where there happens to be a nifty internet cafe... although I'm not entirely sure they have any beverages. I flew here on Monday with mommy on account of her sis having a heart problem (long story short, her aorta was shaking rather than pumping). She's okay... I decided to break free and hit the city. Boys town is pretty lovely... The Pie Hole (gay owned) was the first pizza stop I made here in the Windy City... I can't believe how awesome the pizza is! Even after living here 13 years... you really don't know what you have until it's gone. Maryland or DC have nothing on the pies here. I just had a couple of drinks at a bar ("Side Tracked") where they play random numbers from various musicals. So far, so good... I could definitely imagine myself living in this area. It's so lively... although I am a bit weary of staying in an actual city - the whole lack of peace and whatnot. I need to explore a few more hot spots before I head to meet someone... how coincidental that I find somebody I knew from Maryland who lives in the area. I also managed to pick up a check for some artwork I did for a local shoestore not too far from here... freaky! Well... my minutes are almost up here and I don't want to pay more than $1.00.

The Blue Man Group will be playing in this area tomorrow at 4:00pm... and Xena (Lucy Lawless) is going to be singing at another nearby venue (she had a show tonight and goes on again tomorrow). Xena! Singing! Live! It's so theatrical here. Time to go!

i'm not going to submit to your network-like tentacles - it seems that if i even have one email conversation with someone, suddenly they want to be my "friend" on facebook - it's weird. like, why is this a behavior for people now? hypnosis! i joined facebook just out of curiosity but i don't see anything interesting about it. in fact i hate that you can't see profiles unless you have successfully been approved by someone after adding them. what is the point of that? myspace stalkers will surely be turned off. or any curious person, like myself, will be turned off. it's just... wrong. so fuck you facebook. i hope you die. goddamned networking plagues. i can't stand that we always have to have a "next big thing" on the internet. i can't wait until "familyster". *shudder*